Mountain love story from China crowned with true romance

They met on China’s Qingcheng mountain amid rubble and death, as relief workers picking through the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake of 2008.

Yet, surrounded by utter devastation, Tang Zixing and Wang Lida fell in love — and, three years later, they have the lead roles in an ambitious theatre production of a 1,000-year love story which begins on that same mountain.

The show, Qing Cheng, is the highlight of the China Fringe at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The costumes are designed by Tim Yip, who won an Oscar for his work on the Hollywood film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. His stunning outfits include huge flowers in electric colours and, he says, are inspired by the mysticism of the mountain.